to hero or not to hero
by Haruhi02
Summary: Some heroes save people. Others are idols and examples of inspiration for people to look up to. And some heroes defy\kick shoujo tropes in the face. Bakugou Katsuki is all of them. / Bakugou Katsuki x OC
1. Chapter 1

In a world where everyone is a superhero, I have a dream just like everyone else's.

You'd think by now the whole defender of justice thing would get old. People would get used to the amazingness and awesomeness of superheroes. That they'd be just like a cool police or something you saw every other day. You'd get used to the gigantic ladies running through the streets to save civilians, or wooden tendrils shooting out to stop villains, or even All Might's climate changing Detroit Smash.

I mean, if you see something amazing every single day, how can it still hold on to its amazingness?

The thing about being a superhero, however, is that it never gets old.

Being so hands on with the whole 'helping people' business just seems so… amazing. Just watching those defenders of justice alone is already enough to fill me with an elated admiration, and a ' _I want to be that_ ' strong enough to almost make it true already.

Yet, even with that will and belief, I still fail Yuuei's practical entrance exam.

I do get into General Studies, but it's just not the same being at the best hero training school in Japan without actually training to be a hero.

I sometimes pass by the training arenas the Heroics' use. Well, I don't actually pass by in the sense you think of, but more like, take the very long way around when I ask to use the bathroom or my teacher requests something from the faculty room. That's probably why my teachers never really ask me to get anything anymore. I never really come back.

Due to my little detours, I've become familiar with a face or two of the students in the Heroics Courses. Honorable mentions include 1-B's class rep with the fist enlargement quirk (I always just have the greatest urge to follow her around and call her 'onee-sama' for some unexplainable reason?), and Steel Boy who has the most adorable name ever. There's also that one blonde kid who I kind of just want to slap sometimes, but going into detail on that particular predicament would take all day.

1-A has an even more colorful bunch. There's the one really hot guy with the ice and fire quirk who I've dubbed 'Hot and Cold Prince' (creative right), and then the even hotter soft spoken girl who pulls crowbars out of her boobs (I want to do that). Their class rep also seems like a fun guy despite being a real stickler to the rules. I can tell because the guy and the girl he always hangs out with always seem to be laughing and having a good time. The aforementioned guy who hangs out with Class Rep-kun seems like someone I should keep my eye on, but at the same time…no? It's a bit hard to explain.

Oh, and how could I forget, Bakugou Katsuki.

That boy is the angriest studmuffin I have ever seen in my entire life. I've never seen somebody so darn emotional before. It's powerful in a way I can't help but keep watching. Though the studmuffin part doesn't really help stop the watching either. From a purely aesthetical point of view, that boy is stacked.

The angry part does, however, usually stop that part of my thoughts.

I really want to talk to him. Maybe ask him for some pointers about... well, everything. But he looks so _mean_ and so _angry_ all the time, I never get the courage to say or do anything.

We ride the train together, and today, as per usual, he's at his typical place, holding onto the hand rail and standing casually. I shuffle to stand to my usual place. Except, as any good beginning starts with your typical plot twist, there's a man standing in my usual spot. It would be fine, if there wasn't yet another person standing in my #2 designated spot, and even an honest to goodness group of teenage girls from seemingly nowhere crowding in my #3 spot of choice. It's like the universe is pushing me to jumpstart any conversation I was putting off because of nerves.

I sigh and heft my bag up higher on my shoulder and move to stand next to Bakugou, reaching up to hold the hand rail. My hand meets thin air, and I blink up at the nonexistent metal triangle that's supposed to keep me from falling.

This is not good.

I was fine with the crowded train and out-of-comfort-zone standing spot, but now, without anything to support me from flying into the next cart through any rough turbulence, I'm suddenly very worried about this plot development the universe has forced upon me.

I think the universe may have misinterpreted my want to talk to the guy as 'shoujo fodder'.

I stand a bit stiffly next to the blonde, and widen my stance just a little in an attempt to keep myself from falling. The train finally takes off from the station, and I brace myself for this unsteady ride.

A few minutes in and I feel like I've found the exact staccato I need to stay upright, and I quietly sigh in relief. The scenery is a little nicer from here. I can see the entire city of Musutafu in all its industrial glory. I hadn't even known I had an appreciation of tall skyscrapers until this moment, but I suppose you're bound to find something new to like outside of your norm.

Pretending I had a hard on for huge building was in no way a distraction from the obvious chance I was giving up on starting a conversation. Sure this is a great opportunity to do so, and yes, it probably won't present itself again, but he's just so mean looking. I could always strike up a conversation with someone a little more pleasant in the Heroics class. It doesn't have to be this angry looking fellow. Even if we always ride the same train, and I never seem to have the guts to talk to anyone from either Heroics class anytime soon.

The train breaks.

I am in no way prepared for the loss of vertigo.

This is about the moment where I'm supposed to do something distinctively girly. Like grab onto Bakugou's arm or lightly fall into his shoulder or anything that was certainly not what really happened.

What really happened was that I panicked, grabbed his waistline, and nearly take down his pants in an attempt to keep myself from falling.

"The hell?!"

"I'm sorry!" I should let go at this point, but the train moves again, and I cannot for the life of me remove my death grip.

"Um," what type of excuse would someone accept in order for me to keep holding his waistband? "Just, uh, let me hold on until the train stops."

"Hell no!"

Then he starts struggling. I simultaneously have to somehow hold on to dear life and hold up his pants. He pushes a palm into my face to force me away, and I, well, Bakugou Katsuki maybe one very strong individual, but I have pride on my side, and a huge need for self-preservation.

One of those may be giving me more strength than the other.

We stay like five year olds having a fight for a bit, and _woah_ were there people staring. As soon as I see the train pulling into the next station, I finally let go of him and rush to the exit, even when it isn't my spot. The stares are turning my face a red I had not known was possible and I'm in a rush to run out. It's only when I'm safely outside the train do I realize my bag isn't in my hands.

I spin back, just in time to hear, "Hey, pervert!"

Something smacks me in the face.

I hold my aching nose as the projectile falls to my feet. Squinting through my fingers, my bag peeks out by my shoes. I sigh in relief before I remember that 1) I got off at the wrong station 2) Bakugou Katsuki just threw a bag at me and 3) I finally managed to talk to Bakugou Katsuki and it ended with him calling me a pervert.

I think you can tell by now that me and good first impressions are about as foreign to each other as Japan and Australia.

* * *

Listen, I don't really know how I have the balls to get onto the same train the next day either, ok? It's just that, I was late, and, again, self-preservation in the face of school rules is a good way to forget just about anything, especially in the morning, and it isn't until I'm on the train baring the blunt of Bakugou Katsuki's glare do I remember that yeah, yesterday sort of happened.

I'm sweating bullets for more than one reason.

He doesn't say anything, neither this day or the day after that or the even the day after that. He keeps glaring at me, though, and ok, I get that I kind of deserve it, but it's really starting to bug me. It's gotten so bad people have gotten used to it and are seemingly ignoring the mental daggers Bakugou insists on throwing my way, and I just really can't take this pressure.

So, a week later, when he's still keeping up the glaring act, I steel myself and stand next to him, where they've thankfully finally replaced the hand rail.

I try not to get offended when he backs away from me and legit _growls_.

"Can you please stop glaring at me?" I ask quickly, and why oh why does that makes his snarl even worse?

"Why should I listen to a pervert?"

My face burns. I want to bury the red in my hands but I can't because the last thing we need is for me to fall again.

"That too. Will you please stop calling me that?"

He's about to protest again, and I have the most horrible premonition he's going to yell something like "I have no freaking obligation to listen to you, perverted bastard! Buzz off!" and make this situation even worse than it already is, so I quickly add, "I'll do anything! I'll buy you, uh—cake or something!"

"Huh? Why would I want cake from a _pervert_ —"

"You know what!" Wow, I did not previously know my fuse was this short. "I don't even care! Call me a pedophile for all I care! See if I give a damn!"

This new development has people looking again. Me being even louder than Bakugou certainly hadn't helped.

"Never mind. I do care. A lot. Can we please start over?"

He gives me a look equivalent of the one you'd given gum at the bottom of your shoe. I am undeterred.

I hold out a hand, before I remember that 1) I'm not some American wannabe and 2) he already thinks I'm a pervert so a touchy feely handshake is probably not the way to go.

I retract my hand, and do not miss the pointed look he gives me.

"I'm Nareta Nanashi. Nice to meet you, Bakugou-kun."

This is a great improvement from my first impression. I have half the mind to throw some sort of party in celebration.

"Oh so you're a stalker too, _hah_?!"

I honestly don't even know what I did wrong this time around. Was it the word 'nice'? Was it because he was mad and there was nothing nice about this meeting to him? What was I supposed to say, it's horrible to meet you?

"What?"

"How the hell do you know my name?!"

Ah, that's a good point.

"Uh." How do I go about this without sounding overly creepy? Maybe I can use our matching uniforms and his hopefully stereotypical bad boy-ness to my advantage. "We go to the same school?"

He pauses at that, and seems to look me over to make sure I'm not lying or something. I'm obviously not lying, by the way. You can't really just go and make your own Yuuei uniform look as legit as the real one without some kind of cool fabric quirk or something.

I personally wish I had a cool cloth quirk instead of my useless Becomes Untouchable at Loss of Breath. I don't even have the courtesy of full invisibility. It's just that I can pass through just about everything if I hold my breath. Yes it does have its perks, but I want to be a hero, and it isn't much of a hero ability. I can't even think of a cool name for my quirk.

Bakugou doesn't really say anything after that. Just sort of ignores me. I'm just glad he's stopped glaring. I'm also glad he doesn't take me up on the cake offer because my wallet would literally find a way to manifest a quirk and slap me if he did.

The next day, just about when I've washed my hands of the situation and ignored the part of me bemoaning lost opportunities, Bakugou himself walks up to my #1 usual spot and announces gruffly, "You're not in my class."

The reason for the delayed answer clicks about a moment into my gawking.

"You had to—" — _check?_

How antisocial was this guy that he didn't even know the faces of his own classmates?

I obviously am not going to say any of that out loud. I'm not suicidal. Though my response does come out a bit grumbly. "I'm in General Studies."

I'm not really happy about it. Wanting to be a hero and getting into Yuuei kind of coincided. Imagine what it felt like to get into your dream school, but not into the courses you wanted. They do give some classes here and there for general control of quirks, but nothing like the intense dedication and care you'd receive in the Heroics course.

There's hope though. I've filled out all the necessary papers for them to reconsider me in the upcoming the Sports Festival. All that's left for me to do is prove I'm physically worth it, and my dream will be within reach.

Which, you know, might actually make me suicidal if I still sort of want to talk to the man whose half a second away from calling me a 'perverted pedo stalker' in public.

"Ok, listen," the trains jerk out of the station and I steady myself against the wall next to the door before continuing. I'm mega jealous of Bakugou's firm unwavering stance. He hadn't even wobbled. "I pass by Heroics a lot because... I like to see your training exercises. Not yours in particular, but like, the whole class. But you get yelled at a lot, so I kind of memorized your name. That's the honest truth."

It's at this point where the whole stalker thing makes some sense from a different point of view, but I beat down that sensible side of me in favor of seeing if this response is going to get me anywhere.

"Why?"

Confusion takes me hard.

"What?"

"Why do you watch?"

Wow, we're already at the heart-to-heart conversation stage! This has got be an improvement from perverted pedo stalker stage!

"I was, uh, hoping to gain some insight on how to improve and stuff. I'm trying to reapply to the Heroics Course after I sort of failed the entrance exam and, so I like, like to watch to gain knowledge and stuff."

To my surprising disappointing, Bakugou doesn't return my hearty revelation with one of his own. He just sort of grunts and leans against the glass next to the train wall all brooding and passive aggressive like. I try not to let the stab of internal 'don't kid yourself' hurt like it usually does. In a way, I know I'm all talk, that I cram and ask questions and feign hard work and talk about my dream just so to can rid myself of the regret of doing nothing. Believe it or not, I never used to be like this, but failing the Yuuei practical exam really hit a lot harder than I expected it to.

"What's your quirk?"

Wow does this guy now the right questions to ask. Please note the sarcasm in the last statement.

"I can, like, phase through things if I hold my breath."

I close my mouth, and wave my hand through the train door. It passes through like there's nothing there. I pull back and release a sigh.

"It's stupid, I know, but it's what my quirk is."

Again, Bakugou doesn't say anything. The train pulls into a station and I move out of the way to let people pass by. I really wasn't sure where any of these conversations were going but I hadn't expected to get a dose of depression this early in the morning.

"Hey." I blink up, and back up fully into the wall. Bakugou is eyeing me with the intensity of a lion, and I'm a mere lamb compared to it. It's also really , _really_ creepy, and I don't do well with creepy. "You want to be a hero, right?"

"O-of course." It's an automatic answer, really. It doesn't matter if I believe I can be one or not. I will always want to be one regardless.

Suddenly, he reaches out and yanks me by the front of my shirt. His gaze is even more intense and creepy up close.

"Tomorrow. Training area 4. Don't be late or I'll kill you."

He releases my shirt, and I'm left more than a little flabbergasted and confounded as he stalks off like some cool antagonist who's just called a truce with the hero.

Huh.

That was... weird.


	2. Chapter 2

"Bakugou, you can _not_ be serious!"

I duck under the flaming fist. The fire nearly singes my hair, and I make a truly undignified squeak as I roll out of the way of the kick that follows.

Hah, right. More like 'fastest way to kill off the protagonist since slice bread'. No, slice bread was not an anime protagonist. Don't quote that.

"Stop running away, you perverted bastard!" he yells, and he's charging up enough fire to blow me away Kamehameha style. Not good.

I hold my breath.

How I run straight into the gigantic ball of flame roaring my way is beyond me. I still haven't tasted the sweet release of oxygen when I'm in complete safety away from the flame, because _someone_ is insisting on 'training' which should really be read as 'an excuse to beat me up'. His fist goes straight through my skull as I barrel through him. As soon as I'm behind him, I take a deep breath and then—

—continue running for my life, resisting the great urge to scream.

"Don't run away, you piece of shit!" Yes, because fighting the Angry Boy with Explosive Power is a better idea, right?

With what I assume is another fire powered blast, Bakugou is at my side in an instant. I suck in a breath and hold it so the spinning kick can go right through my torso, and, with strength I had not known I possessed, and gale founded solely on terror, I reel my elbow back and punch Bakugou in his stupid face.

The only way I could possibly explain to you how fast I came to regret this thoughtless decision is to ask you to imagine your tsundere kouhai who is always pining for your interests, and imagine what would happen if you actually gave them the time of day. Fastest way to a bitchslap I've ever known, to be honest.

So yeah, I get bitchslapped by regret just about the same time Bakugou realizes he really _does_ want to murder me in cold blood.

That's how I get the crap beaten out of me. This marks the end of Training Day #3.

I do get a few good hits, don't get me wrong. This _is_ the third day, and I've since gained at least enough pride to hit him back. There was this really good kick to his shin that knocked him down for a moment, but I just feel like those just made his own punches worse.

Now, bruises and blood aside, everything would be fine and dandy. Except, I'm doing this again tomorrow, and yeah, how about _no_.

"I lied," I say without hesitation while pinching my nose to stop the bleeding. "I don't want to be a hero. I want to live the normal civilian life and become a housewife at 18."

Bakugou punches my arm. It's not one of those friendly 'oh stop, you're so funny' jabs. It's a very painful blow to my already bruised arm.

"Don't be stupid," he snaps, like I've just offended him somehow. Probably have in his mind. I could eat a doughnut and I'm a hundred percent sure Bakugou would find a way to take offense from it. His glare doesn't even affect me anymore. "You're going to kick Deku out or I'll kill you."

"Ok first, I don't even know who this Deku person is." _Wowie_. The pain in my face is exhilarating. I hold up two fingers. "And second, you do know I also need good grades to get into Heroics in between these back alley smack downs, right?"

Bakugou grunts.

"I'll tutor you to death."

What I would give for this idiot's sentences to end in 'nya's or something instead of all these 'I'll kill you's. I'm starting to worry I'll get used to all death threats that if a real one were ever shoved my way, it wouldn't even phase me. Then again, with the amount of pain I'm feeling right now, I'm not entirely sure I can brush of Bakugou's death threats as untrue.

 _Somehow_ , the tutoring is even worse.

Surprisingly, it's not that constant death glares. I've become accustomed to them in a 'love to annoy my friend' sort of way. This time around, it's the utter suffocating silence enveloping the room giving me the heebie-jeebies. Sure it's a library, but the silent rule is only for real nerds, not some pretender like me, or an angry studmuffin like Bakugou. I'm just as bad with quiet as I am with my grades. Add Bakugou Katsuki's aggression to that anxiety cocktail and I immediately cave within the first half hour.

" _Gah_! This isn't going to work!"

Bakugou somehow manages to crunch up his face in an expression that both expresses how he knew this was going to happen, yet he still can't believe it actually happened.

" _Hunh_ —"

My mind backpedals into Safe Mode: Bakugou Katsuki Edition faster than you can press F8.

"I need motivation, ok!" Wow. I had not known Safe Mode Me was also Smart Me. I should get Bakugou to threaten my life more often. "Something to push me forward when the goings get tough, you know?!"

He doesn't immediately shake his fist at me, which simultaneously reassures and worries me. It seems like he's pondering something over in his mind. I just hope he isn't thinking of new torturous ways to train me or something.

"...cake."

"What?"

His reiteration is just as grumbly as the first one, but I catch it this time. "I'll buy a cake."

Oh, another thing I forgot to mention about getting used to Bakugou Katsuki, especially when you're me. You sort of forget who exactly you're talking to at times, which could lead to potentially life threatening situations when you're as talkative as me. Or you're just an idiot, also like me.

The words are out of me mouth before I can think on them.

" _Excuse me?_ Who do you think I am, _you_?"

That certainly brings back the Bakugou Katsuki we all know and love.

"I'll kill you if you don't get a full mark."

The glare would almost be comforting if I didn't know he meant every word of the threat.

"On second thought, your cake idea sounds _amazing_." I'm suddenly much more inclined to solving those physics problems that had previously been out my grasp. "And like, I don't want to blow the class average out of whack, you know? 70 is a better and much more attainable goal, don't you think?"

"Full mark or death."

I haven't really made a habit of learning from my mistakes.

"Oh come on, Bakugou! I'm not _you_!"

Unexpectedly, I don't get an upturned nose this time around.

"No." I can't believe he's actually agreeing with me. I feel so exalted, I can't even pretend to be insulted over how he indirectly called me stupid. "You're… my disciple."

I'm… shit, I am… _touched_. A fundamental fact suddenly assaults me. I've been so busy moaning and groaning about these torture sessions that I've forgotten how they all began in the first place. Sure Bakugou's had his ulterior motives since the beginning for training me, but it doesn't change the fact that Bakugou saw something in me worth cultivating and took it upon himself to reap it. In me, hesitant, worthless, dreamless _me_ , he glimpsed something worthy of being an inspiring knight capable of saving others.

He really is a hero.

"Hey."

Just to be clear, I'm not crying, _you're_ crying. I'm just rubbing my eyes because a mosquito got in there or something, ok?

"S-so like," My voice is totally fine, by the way. Just in case you were wondering, "do I have to start calling you 'Bakugou-sensei'? Because if people see us together, someone's bound to think were dating, and it's just going to be even weirder if I call you sensei. They'll start to think _you're_ the pedophile."

" _HUNH?!_ "

To no one's surprise, we're thrown out of the library rather quickly after that.


	3. Chapter 3

Bakugou Katsuki may be the crudest, most arrogant, and most brutal tomcat this side of Musutafu, yet somehow, I've become fond of him these past few weeks.

I now actually _like_ to rile him up (don't worry, I'm questioning my sanity, too). His extreme outbursts to the tiniest slice of teasing are hilarious. I don't know why I never saw it this way before, but I'm glad for it now. He's just so dramatic and alive and angry about everything, it's _ridiculous_. One time, he spent the better part of an hour grumbling about how they didn't let his chosen hero name 'king of explodo-kills' slide. An entire hour, just complaining. Of course, I also spent the better part of an hour laughing my cheeks off after his alleged internship with Best Jeanist ended with Bakugou looking like he just came out of the 1800s. Sure he looked like he wanted to personally murder me via Russian torture methods, but it just made me laugh harder. Good times, good times.

Ok, _yes_ , I'm stalling. I know you all want to know how the Sports Festival went and if I've secured myself a seat in Heriocs yet. And, well, just to get it out go the way and stop all the dillydallying, I sort of... didn't.

I _really_ don't want to talk about it, but I also don't want to turn out to be even more of an unreliable narrator than I already am, so I'll give you the short version.

I couldn't sleep the day before out of sheer terror what the next day would bring about. This lead to me not even getting past the first stage because of actually fainting during the Run Of Doom. They had to take me to Recovery Girl and _man_ did the old lady chew me out for pushing myself so hard. I was more terrified of Bakugou's reaction really than anything else, but, at the same time, I kind of expected it. There was no way I was going to improve in such a short enough of time enough to get past the kids in Heriocs. Sure I was training with the guy who got freaking first in the thing, but that doesn't really amount to anything when his trainee didn't even place. I think you can tell how hard this complete and utter loss hit me. I was spiraling down a mental tornado of guilt and shame and a bunch of 'you should have expected this' while also trying not to drown from how anxious I was about Bakugou's reaction. He eventually showed up during the breaks of third and final round, and I braced myself for impact.

He was mad. Super pissed off. The guy in the bed next to me was so worried I could feel it from all the way on the other side of the room. I had braced myself for the negative backslash when Bakugou had started shouting, but it never came. When did come, however, was a bunch of very loud, very tsundere, shounen manga bullshit about how 'if you ever do that again, I'll kill you', you know, that sort of thing. Not sure who was more surprise, me or my bedmate. Recovery Girl sure didn't seem like she was having any of it when she came in and threw him out. I just really hope nobody was paying attention to the color of my face that day.

It occurs to me later why he said literally nothing about what happened in the race. It's like, he knew that I knew. That everything that needed to be said was already known, and therefore didn't need to be repeated. He did, however, yell at me for not taking better care of myself, which as just as important for a hero as any training. The damn idiot is just too smart for his own good. How is my negativity supposed to compete with Bakugou's fire?

So, yeah, I sort of, may or may not, kind of, somehow, began holding a torch for Bakugou freaking Katsuki somewhere between all those disasters.

The depression about my utter loss at the Sports Festival came somewhere after that realization. I have one last chance to try to get into Heroics this year. I need to get at least an eighty or higher on all end of term exams, and then somehow convince my teachers to let me retake the entrance exam. Of course, I also have to pass that, too, which is way Bakugou's been driving me harder than ever.

The thing is, though, it's not… I'm not cut out for this. I feel like I'm wasting Bakugou's time, which could obviously be well spent doing anything else. Every time I don't get the grade I expect after all the effort (if glaring into submission counts as effort, that is) Bakugou's gone to teach me, the horrible feeling of being a nuisance gets worse. But I can never bring myself to tell him to give up on me. Partly because I don't want to stop spending time with him, and partly because I'm a pathetic coward.

Bakugou punches me in the face.

"What the hell, dude?!" Can you believe I've gotten numb to these? At least this training has done something in the way of increasing my pain tolerance.

He responds with a fiery hard, " _No_."

And that's it. That's his counter argument. One big fat no is supposed to restore my confidence and make me continue the useless training regimen from hell. One big fat no is supposed to turn my attitude towards this stupid training on his head and make me rethink my entire life. One big fat no is supposed to crack my head open and rid me of my inferiority complex.

And you know what pisses me off even more? That it _does_ work, because Bakugou Katsuki's always been one for the impossible hero stuff, and I've always been an idiot.

"Why do you have to be so cool?!" I say, scrubbing the fat tears at me eyes. The bastard doesn't even bat an eye or even try to thank me for my compliment. I whirl on him, finger pointing accusingly. "You've made me cry twice, you know! What kind of hero makes a girl cry?!"

"It's not my fault you're a crybaby."

"You take that back this instance, young man! Or so help me I will track down this Deku guy and show him the picture of your hair when you were working for Best Jeanist!"

"What did you freaking say, you bastard?!"

We're a pair of idiots, if you couldn't tell already.

Through the sheer power of Bakugou's glares and my own stubborn stupidity, I crack my head open. I force myself to look at my failures as chances to learn. And I force myself to treat my slow progress as actual progress. And I force myself to push and shove and make my way to my goal just to prove to myself I'm worth every moment of Bakugou's time.

It's hard. It's extremely difficult, and there are still times were I trip over hurdles, but Bakugou is always there to punch me in the face again every time. It's sweet and admirable and the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. I…

I'm really grateful for him.

* * *

Exam results are today.

I have more jittery nerves than a milkmaid on her wedding night. I've never really worried much about tests before, so these worries are all new, untrodden territory for me, making it all the more unbearable. It's a bit of a blessing that I don't have to immediately reveal to Bakugou the results since he's off in some super training camp for the summer. The bastard got his results back early and is already gallivanting away and making things explode in some secret summer camp. He wouldn't even tell me where it was. Stubborn butthead.

Making up names to call Bakugou is a great way to distract myself as I await for Sensei to make his way over to me desk. There's been a lot of the usual crying from the nerds and whooping from my fellows slackers going around. None of it does much to settle my jittery nerves. Those buggers are having a territory war over my state of mind. On one side, there's a legion of Old Me's sending waves of anxiety all around. On the other side, there's the Better Me's with lionhearted Bakugou Katsuki as their champion punching his way through the ranks. I'm unsure which side is winning, but remembering stupid Bakugou helps calm me down.

Sensei is at my desk.

"You've done pretty well this time around, Nareta. Keep up the good work."

I've already overcame the first hurdle of the usual self-deprecating, motivational talk Sensei uses with students who haven't done that well. It's a first for me, and a big step in the right direction towards fanning the fire of hope in my heart to a maximum. Sensei hands me the file containing all my tests, and I have to just stare at it for a moment to steel myself.

 _You did well. You did great. It's going to be ok. Bakugou said so._

 _You did well. You did great. It's going to be ok. Bakugou said so._

 _You did well. You did great. It's going to be ok. Bakugou said so._

I open the file and flit through the papers.

I burst out laughing and my eyes tear up as I clutch the fan of papers between my fingers.

I got an exact eighty on every single one of my tests. The relief is pulling waterworks down my cheeks and vibrating a bubbly laugh through my chest. I'm proud and happy and satisfied and _Bakugou is going to kill me for barely making it._

I couldn't ask for anything more.

* * *

The angry studmuffin isn't answering my messages.

He should be back today, and I really want to see his face in person when I tell him the news. Even if it does usually take him forever to respond, he usually eventually does. It isn't like him not to answer for days on end. Even I've started to get worried. Maybe the Deku guy finally snapped and beat him up for cussing too much. That would be hilarious, but I also wish he would just respond to my messages even if it was just to see his beat up face.

"— _a terrible tragedy has taken place_ —"

Bakugou himself was probably too busy thrashing people to bits while training to respond to my texts then. Still, I'd feel better if he responded with a 'shut up' or 'piss off'. At least I'd know he was still alive that way. I kind of wish I was friends with more people from Heroics besides Bakugou so I could bug them instead of just blowing up Bakugou's phone.

"— _twenty six injured first years from Yuuei Academy_ —"

This is really getting ridiculous. Would it kill him to answer his phone—

"— _first place runner at the Yuuei's Sports Festival, Bakugou Katsuki, kidnapped_ —"

The white noise of the television suddenly captures my attention. I don't want to believe. I didn't think it was even possible, yet that's Bakugou's angry face in the corner of my television screen, and my world flips.

I want to throw my phone against the wall. I want to rip my tests apart. I want to lock myself in my room and cry. I want to berate myself for the next century. I want to scream. I want to shout. _I want Bakugou Katsuki safe and sound._

My hands are shaking, and it takes me forever to realize it's not from the sobbing. I can barely see the screen through my tears, and when I do, my breath is stolen once again.

 _Bakugou._

"H-Hello?" My voice shakes. "Bakugou you jerk— is it—is it really you? I-I was just watching the news and it says you were freaking _kidnapped_ and— and— _I can't believe you got yourself kidnapped you butthead_ —"

"Honey, honey, no, it's not—I'm not Bakugou… it's his mother."

I'm crying again. The thought that I'm talking to the woman who birthed the demon muffin for the first time doesn't even cross my mind. Ok, maybe a little. I didn't expect for the Meet The Parents event to happen this soon in his route. Me having a nervous breakdown as not helping.

"O-oh… ah, I'm sorry, Bakugou-san. I… I-I didn't mean to call your son a butthead."

Even though Mama Bakugou's voice sounds close to my own broken one, she manages a chuckle.

"Oh don't apologize. He really is a butthead, that son of my mine…"

I have no idea what I can even begin to tell this woman whose son was just kidnapped when I can barely pull myself together.

"…I saw your messages, Nareta-chan. I was calling you to… tell you what happened… since you didn't seem to know… you're not one of his classmates?"

I can't believe I'm about to be put into this 'who are you' simulation with tears down my face and snot dripping with Bakugou's mom whose freaking idiot son was just kidnapped.

"Oh, ah, he's my—" Friend? Acquaintance? Should I just roll with the situation and say boyfriend? Bakugou would kill me if he found out. That is, if my heart attack from that didn't do the job first. "—tutor?"

 _Why did that come out sounding like a question?_

Mama Bakugou bursts out laughing. It startles my tears to a stop.

" _My_ Katsuki? _Teaching_? I've never seen the day!"

 _Should have went with boyfriend!_

At least I made her laugh in the face of this crisis, right?

* * *

I'm glued to my television screen.

All Might, our number one hero, the greatest of them all, is fighting the man who kidnapped Bakugou.

All Might, our symbol of justice and hope, is a skeleton compared to the horror of the Bossman of League of Villains. Yet still, he fights like there is no tomorrow. No, he fights because if he loses there _is_ no peaceful tomorrow.

"Come on, All Might…" I'm on the edge of the seat. If this evil man goes down, Bakugou is safe. All Might just needs to beat him. "Come on, _come on_."

There's so much blood and wreckage and despair on the other side of the screen, but I still have hope. All Might is still fighting, after all.

"You can do it." If All Might wins, Bakugou is safe. If All Might wins, Bakugou is safe. He just needs to win. He's the number one hero. He has to win. _Win, All Might._

He delivers a devastating punch and I'm screaming desperately.

"WIN, ALL MIGHT!"

Smoke fills the screen and I can't even stand to sit anymore. I'm tied to the happenings of the television screen like my life depends on it, like I'll drown if I look away. It takes an eternity for the debris to dissipate. All Might stands hunkered over the shadow of a man. My heart stops.

All Might raises his fist. He's victorious.

 _Bakugou is safe._

I'm sobbing.


	4. Chapter 4

I'm scared to talk to Bakugou.

The first time I glimpse him in his classroom after the whole kidnapping business, I nearly cry. Seeing him alive and safe sends so much relief coursing through my veins I go weak at the knees.

I didn't know I cared about him that much.

These feelings are all so new and terrifying to me, and I have no idea what to do with them. Knowing myself and my tendency not to filter anything between my mind and my mouth , I know I'm going to start blurting out very stupid things around Bakugou in an attempt to ignore these… _feelings_. I guess that means I'm avoiding him for now.

I feel terrible. The guy I like gets kidnapped and all I do after he's recovered is avoid him? I am _so_ failing this route.

To be fair, it's not just this stupid cocktail of new and annoying emotions prompting me to flee at so much as the sight of Bakugou Katsuki . I'm also afraid to talk to him because of what happened. It's a bit of a stupid reason, but I feel like if I talk to him, I'll wake up from this dream and realize he's still kidnapped, still in danger. I'm so terrified of this being too real and too sudden that I can't bear to even look at him sometimes.

It gets so bad Bakugou actual sends me a text message. It really says something about the situation when a guy as antisocial as Bakugou Kastsuki texts first. And it also probably says something about me as a person but I'm going to ignore the implications of that.

 _where the hell are you_

I don't answer it immediately. I have no idea what I can even begin to say. However, it's the guilt of not talking to him for so long that eventually overtakes me as I bullshit a reply.

 _didn't come to school 2day. sick_

The reply to that comes so fast I do a double-take. Bakugou isn't usually a fast replier. He's more the type to answer hours or even days later, enough to the point where you think he's been murdered or kidnapped or something.

Oh shit, I made that joke way too soon. Abort Mission! Abort! _Abort!_

 _bullshit. I saw you earlier_

My heart beats sporadically and if my nerves were a person, they'd be giving me the side-eye and evil smirk to tell me how screwed I am. My phone vibrates again with another message.

 _why the hell r u avoiding me_

Goddammit, does Bakugou really have to be so smart?! Can't he just be like any normal hot-headed shounen character who thinks with their muscles?! Lord, have mercy on me!

I obviously don't respond. I heft the strap of my bag higher on my shoulder and exit my classroom. Maybe if I escape fast enough, I can nib this development by the roots before it develops into something that could potentially put my life in danger.

I'm at the gate when I'm assaulted by a giant ball of fire. I really did not think this through. Damn Bakugou for using the Wait At The Gate tactic like the delinquent he really is! Can I not catch a break around here?

I fling my bag in the direction where it came, hoping to catch him upside the head, and flee the opposite way like a madwoman. I'm just out of range of any more attacks when I trip and go flying.

"Bakugou, dude! You almost killed her!"

I'm trying to run even as I scramble to my feet but something tucks the front of my shirt and I came face to face with a very pissed off pretty boy.

I'm dead. I'm officially dead. Tell my mother I love her and tell my dad he can have my secret stash of pudding I hit on the third shelf behind the leftovers. Oh, and also tell that Todoroki boy I'd totally tap that if I had any days left or any semblance of sanity. This is coming from the girl who fell for Bakugou Effing Katsuki after all.

"Bakugou!" I try. I am not going down without a fight or some Last Words worthy battle quote, "Didn't see you there! What is up, my man!"

His glare is murderous, almost enough to do the job itself. I do _not_ give him the chance to talk.

"Heard you were kidnapped!" Great subject changer, me. Next thing you know I'll make a crack at his love life. Shit, that's a horrible idea. Kidnapping sounds so much better next to an accidental confession. "I'm really glad you're safe!" Why does my voice sound like a plastic TV host from the 90s? Or like some overenthusiastic American visiting Akiba for the first time. "I was really worried!"

"Spill."

Excuse me what? "Huh?"

Bakugou narrows his eyes and his grip shifts slightly so he has an even better hold on my shirt. "Talk. _Now_."

Wait, so he wants me to talk? I thought I was already doing that! Albeit very badly. "…about what?"

"Why the hell you're not training."

Oh. Right. Training. I haven't done that in a while, have I? This explains quite a lot actually, the texting, the waiting, the anger. Of course Bakugou would be pissed off to lose out on some training. The guy loves a good punching bag. So much has been going on, I'd completely forgotten about it. He probably hadn't even noticed my disappearance and despondence until now.

There's something like disappointment curling around my stomach, though from what, I'm not entirely sure.

"I told you," I begin with a bit of force as I try to remove his hand. It would probably more believable if I actually looked him in the eye. "I'm sick."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see his eyes narrow even further as he snarls, "You're lying."

This stupid jerk is too smart for his own good. I really wish he'd let go out of my shirt. I just now notice some guy with ridiculous spiky red hair staring at is like a kid in the candy store, and it is not making me any more comfortable.

I struggle to remove his hands but that just makes him angrier.

"Why the hell aren't you training!"

"Would you let go of me!"

"Talk, dumbass!"

"I don't _want_ to talk!"

"You better talk _right now_ or I'll do something to _make_ you talk!"

"I—! I was just, uh,busy! I didn't have time to train!"

"Bullshit!"

"Let go of me, butthead!"

"What did you just call me?!"

"A butthead! I called you a freaking butthead!"

"Tell me what the hell is wrong before I kill you!"

"I freaking like you, Bakugou Katsuki, ok!"

The fists in my shirt lower just a bit. I keep going like a bottle that's just exploded.

"I like you! A lot! I don't know why but I do! You've helped me so much but you're so mean! I don't know what to do half the time! And when you were kidnapped, I was so freaking worried! I was so worried I'd never be able to tell you how grateful I am for you! You helped me so much! You helped me get better! Get closer, actually feel like... like I could attain something and be _something_ and I—!"

I enclose my hands around his and finally am able to remove them away from my shirt. Just thinking about looking at his face in this moment is burning my cheeks off like no tomorrow.

"I _love_ you for that..!"

Oh god now I've done it. I accidentally glimpse his face. He's... very surprised. His eyes are wide, and the snarl on his face is gone. I can easily place his hands back while he's like this, and then I just start to fidget uncontrollably under his gaze. Is it ok for him to gawk at me like that? Sure a confession is an astonishing occurrence to some, but I can't help but think he's more surprised at the fact I confessed than anything else. And, no matter how much I try to pin it on the fact this is Bakugou Katsuki, who is about as close to the word romance as Japan is to Canada, it... hurts.

A lot.

Spikey Redhead is about a second away from whooping like some kid on a field day.

I can't take any of this.

I bolt.

* * *

I can't believe I actually did that. I thought we all agreed this wasn't a shoujo manga. I regret not kicking Bakugou in the crotch before running away just to prove that point.

I'm pretty sure my relationship with Bakugou has been severed at this point. I was avoiding him before, and now he's stopped sending me messages asking about my whereabouts. I'm really upset, but this wasn't something I hadn't expected. What do people even expect when they confess to Bakugou Katsuki? I kind of wish he'd called me stupid and beat me up if just to get some sort of response with him. I mean, despite me expecting and knowing this would happen, I didn't actually _want_ it to happen. Nobody in the world wants their crush to say no, not even people like me who knew the answer was _no_ from the beginning.

Maybe it's because I'm an idiot, but even now I have hope for the narrative to take a one eighty. I wish Bakugou would show up at the door of my class, call out to me all like 'hey, idiot', and give me expectations of what could be. I wish he'd pull me by the arm after that, ignoring my protests like the jackass I know he is until we reach a quiet, deserted part of the courtyard.

Ok, is it just me, or has this hallucination gotten a little too real? I mean, my arm really hurts where I imagined Bakugou squeezing it too hard, and I really want to punch him for it. I always want to punch Bakugou, so that part's real for sure, but this pain in my arm is really stings, which means…

Shit, my wish became reality. Somebody take the narrative away from me before I accidentally transport us to an alternate dimension.

Bakugou takes a fighting stance. "Get ready."

"Huh?" You remember the thing I said about this not being a shoujo? I'm also not really into all the fighting that comes with this being a shounen either. Can't we come to a compromise?

Bakugou comes at me with a flying kick aimed at my head, and yeah, that compromise definitely took a swan dive out the window. I automatically block with my arms, a reflex honed by all the other times Bakugou's come at me with a flying kick. At least something has come out of this godforsaken story.

Well, we finally did get the shoujo defying fight we were all waiting for, even if it did crank up the theme to a more boys-oriented manga. Leave it up to Bakugou Katsuki to run that campaign anytime. He's always the man for the job. Let's just hope that doesn't entail entering fanservice zone because my body is definitely not ready for that.

"I really have no idea what's going on right now!" I say, even as I parry and throw punches and kicks of my own. If it's a fight he wants, and not some discussion about feelings, then there's no damn way I'm losing. I'm really glad he's not using his quirk, but since there was no verbalization about not using quirks, I won't do him the gratification of reciprocating his unspoken rules.

I hold my breath, and the moment where his punch slides through my head, I take a deep breath, and slam my foot into his crotch.

He crumples instantly. I start whooping.

"I did it! I did it! I beat _Bakugou Katsuk_ i! In _your_ face!"

I'm usually not one for dirty tactics but holy shit is it gratifying to finally bring Bakugou to his knees. The satisfaction is amazing up here. Sure Bakugou's about to make me regret that a million times over, but it was totally _worth it_.

Arms in akimbo, I stare him down triumphantly as he continues to grunt in displeasure.

"Would you be mad if I put my foot on your head? I kind of feel like I'm obligated to after seeing you like this."

The murder in Bakugou's eyes is tangible.

"It was a joke." It was not a joke.

Silence passes as Bakugou just sort of gives up and stays on the ground. I refuse to give up the high ground to join him, even if it would make this situation so much less awkward. Why did I knee him where the sun doesn't shine again? I mean, I had a reason for this, right? I can't even remember, though he totally deserves it for being an ass all the time.

" _So_ ," my hands are sweating already. I really need to stop regretting this right now. "Was there a reason for this fight, or was it just training?"

Bakugou's eyes are on the ground when he answers, "Both."

"Are you gonna tell me, or do I have to guess?"

There's no response. I steal glances right and left to make sure no one is around and take my chances.

I put my foot on Bakugou's head and bellow a villainous laugh.

"I have finally put in an end to the people's hero, Bakugou Katsuki! Any last words— _eep_!"

Bakugou grabs my foot and slams me to the ground. That was totally worth the ache that explodes across my back.

" _If you_ ever _do that again, I'll beat you up so bad you will regret the day you enrolled in this school."_

"Yeah, yeah."

For some reason, there's a band of warmth around my ankle. I realize rather belatedly that Bakugou hasn't let go of my foot yet, and my face heats up like the back of a pan. I suddenly think back to the villainous act I just dished out and I hope to the moon in back that I didn't accidentally give Bakugou a panty shot. Someone save me for myself.

"Don't stop training."

"Excuse you, I just kicked your ass, maybe you should stop talking and get some training in. I mean, if _I_ can beat you—"

"Shut the hell up! I'll kick your ass any day of the week! You're just a—!"

Bakugou stops talking abruptly. I peek at him out of the corner of my eye. I can't decipher his expression at all. The fingers around my ankle inch closer together.

"Don't stop training."

 _Don't stop training. Don't stop training_. I feel like it's supposed to mean something that isn't the obvious. I also feel like I know exactly what it's supposed to mean but won't dare to believe it.

I guess I have to take the initiative here.

"Bakugou."

I sit up so we're both now sitting on the ground, facing each other.

"I… I like you. _Like_ like you. Like, if we were five, this would be where I would propose to be your wife ten years from now."

He smacks me upside the head.

"No."

"I'm not _actually_ proposing, you jerkface! I'm just trying to make sure we both understand each other okay?"

He doesn't disagree, so I take it as a sign to continue.

"But you… you're not into this type of thing right now, right?"

It takes a moment, but he eventually nods gruffly.

"But that doesn't mean you don't want me around me because you still like me as a person, right?"

I grin despite myself, hiding behind it my insecurities. He rolls his eyes and looks like he really wants to say no, but it would be a moot point to deny it now.

"So, now, I guess we just keep doing what we're doing right? I'm not gonna pretend I don't like you, and you're not gonna pretend you don't know, but that's not gonna stop us from spending time with each other since we _are_ kinda still friends in the end. Keep training, right?"

I've never seen somebody use so much self-restraint not to deny everything I just said in favor of his usual outburst. I'm touched.

I cross my arms and lift my head triumphantly. "Can you believe I deduced all that just from 'keep training'? I'm so _awesome_."

"Shut up."

"I got eighty on all my tests. All of them."

"Liar."

"No joke. I burst out laughing when I saw them."

"Eighty is nothing. I could get eighty _blind_."

"Oh shut up. Just because you're a genius, doesn't mean everyone else is stupid."

"You're stupid."

"I'm not dignifying that with a response."

* * *

 **A/N: So I honestly wasn't expecting this story to get as many hits and reviews as it did. I really just wanted to write something short and silly and fun without much effort. Thank you so much for everyone who took some time out of their day to review this silly thing. I might write an epilogue at some later point that's really just one more round of Nanashi Nonsense, but for now the story is complete. I have an AO3 with the same username if you want more silly stories though most of them are written for Haikyuu! I also have a tumblr of the same name if you want to yell/talk to me! Thanks again for all the reviews! I hope you all have a wonderful day!**


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